SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir’s former Chief Minister and opposition National Conference working president on Saturday slammed the central government of misleading the Supreme Court on the situation in Kashmir.
“On the day the Central Government misinformed the Supreme Court about the situation in the Valley, three youth lost their lives and over 400 injured – a lot of them having sustained life-threatening, lethal injuries. If this is the Central Government’s definition of a situation improving or a situation that is allegedly under control, God help the people of Kashmir,” Omar said.
At least three people were killed and over 400 injured in police and paramilitary forces action to quell large scale protests in Valley yesterday.
The Centre had told the apex court yesterday that law and order situation in Kashmir has improved considerably since the killing of 21-year-old Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8.
Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar informed the bench of Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud that compared to 201 incidents on July 9, 2016, only 11 incidents were witnessed as on August 3, 2016.
He told the apex court that a total of 872 incidents of violence were reported mainly from south Kashmir and parts of central and north Kashmir. “In these 872 incidents, 42 civilians and two security personnel were killed, while 2656 civilians and 3783 security personnel injured.”
Kumar had informed the court that in view of the improving situation, curfew had been lifted from most parts of Valley on July 30 and curfew was in force only in certain areas of three districts in the Valley.
Omar expressed disappointment at Central Government’s apathy towards the grave situation in Kashmir.
“Has New Delhi declared a war on the people in Kashmir? Hundreds of young boys and girls have potentially life-changing injuries, most of them caused by pellet guns. Thousands of youngsters have sustained injuries in this unrest. To blame Pakistan for the unrest or to delude ourselves into thinking this is a law and order situation is criminal. There is an extreme sense of resentment and disenchantment among the youth of Valley and that is the basis of this unrest,” he said.
Over 1000 people have been hit by pellets in the Valley in the ongoing unrest. Over 200 were hit by pellets in the eyes and many have lost their eyesight.
The former CM said every appeal being made asking New Delhi to engage with Pakistan and the people of Kashmir through a sustained, comprehensive dialogue to resolve the political issue is falling on deaf ears. “There is no sense of concern and empathy from the Central Government. Delhi’s continued arrogance in refusing to acknowledge this to presumably save its Government in J&K with PDP goes against not only all tenets of justice and humanity but also against the interests of the country and its people – against the very fabric of the country’s constitution”.
Demanding a ban on pellet guns, Omar said despite nearly 300 youth being shot in their eyes with pellet guns – many of them permanently blinded, the State and the Central Government seem to be encouraging the use of pellet guns through their inaction and silence rather than banning their use.
He said both the Central and State Government should acknowledge the gravity of the situation in the Valley and take long-term, political initiatives to address the alienation and resentment in the Valley rather than looking at this situation with an operative prism.
“Kashmir is a political issue and nothing short of a comprehensive, sustained political dialogue with all stakeholders in the Valley as well as Pakistan can serve as an acceptable alternative on the policy level”, added Omar.
He also questioned PM Narendra Modi's silence on the situation in the Valley.
"Heart breaking and worrying in equal measure. At what point will the Centre (PM) wake up to the crisis here?" Omar tweeted.
CPI(M) concerned over silence of PM
CPI(M) State Secretary and MLA Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami expressed concern over the killings in Kashmir and silence of Prime Minister.
“The fresh killings in Kashmir and the administrative response to it speaks volumes of inhuman and irresponsible attitude of the administration towards the rising wave of protests in the valley,” he said adding inhuman and irresponsible attitude will only aggrevate the wave of protests in the Valley.
Tarigami said all democratic forces must raise their voices against the oppression.
“The Prime Minister continues to remain silent. It conveys what? Ignorance or arrogance?,” he questioned.